History
Kanemoto was born on Dec. 12, 1970, in Hiroshima, Japan. He played in his first Japan Golf Tour event in 1994, but failed to make the cut. Over the next few years he played sporadically on the tour and was unable to establish himself as a consistent golfer. He first started to show real promise in 1999, when he finished the season ranked 68th.
Highlights
One of the highlights of Kanemoto's career occurred in May 2009, when he came from behind to win the Mitsubishi Diamond Cup Golf tournament. Kanemoto finished the first round in 32nd place and moved into 16th place after two rounds. On the third day, he moved into a tie for second place. A 5-under-par 67 in the final round secured him the victory -- his first as a professional.
Statistics
The longer the holes are, the better Kanemoto plays. This is evident by taking a quick look at his statistics. With several months left in the 2009 season, Kanemoto has averaged 291 yards per drive, 14th best on the Japan Golf Tour. On par 3s, Kanemoto was 25 over par, which was 118th on the tour. On par 4s, he was 29 over par, which was 58th on tour. However, Kanemoto did much better on the longer holes. On par 5s, he was 27 under, which was good enough for 41st on the tour.
Earnings
Over the course of his career, Kanemoto has earned $2.5 million. His largest paycheck from one tournament came with his lone victory at the 2009 Mitsubishi Diamond Cup Golf tournament, earning him about $320,000.
Interesting Fact
Before his victory in 2009, Kanemoto had two top-5 finishes in 2008.
About The Author
Chad Buleen is a Society of Professional Journalists-award winning newspaper and magazine writer and editor with more than 10 years' experience. He has been published in "Utah Spirit," "Charleston Gazette," "Idaho Falls Post Register" and numerous other publications. Buleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications with an emphasis in print journalism from Brigham Young University-Idaho.
